10 Dating Safety Tips For Online And Off!
Still looking for a special someone? Just be sure to
keep yourself safe. Here are ten ways to find love
for your heart but keep your personal protection on your
mind.
1. Watch out for someone who seems too good to be
true. Begin by communicating solely by email, then
look for odd behavior or inconsistencies. The person at
the other end may not be who or what he says he is.
Trust your instincts. If anything makes you
uncomfortable, walk away for your safety and protection.
2. Make sure all contact on a member site takes place
through a double-blind system, ensuring your true
identity is protected until you decide to reveal it.
Never include your last name, home address, phone
number, place of employment, email address or any other
identifying information in your profile or initial
messages. When corresponding with someone, turn off your
email signature file. Stop communicating with anyone who
puts pressure on you for personal information or
attempts in any way to trick you into revealing it.
3. Be Cautious. Cautious decisions will result in
a better dating experience. Be sure to protect yourself
against trusting the untrustworthy; potential boyfriends
must earn your trust gradually over time, through
consistently honorable, straightforward behavior. Take
all the time you need to investigate for a
straightforward person and pay careful attention along
the way. If you suspect someone is lying, he probably
is, so act accordingly. Be responsible about romance,
your heart will thank you.
4. Get Background Information. Most online dating services do not require members to submit to background checks,
so make sure you get as much info as possible. Be warned
by inconsistent information about age, interests,
appearance, marital status, profession, employment, etc.
Utilize
internet search engines
and background checking services and most importantly, using common sense. Nothing is 100% reliable, just remember to use your head…not just your heart.
5. Check Out That Photo. Initial impressions may
give way to deeper considerations if you check out a person’s appearance
and surroundings in their photo. Trust your gut. A guy
with a rose in his teeth may be debonair or creepy! In fact, it’s best
if the profile has several views and images of someone in various settings: casual, formal, indoor and outdoors.
What does he look like without the rose? If all you hear are excuses about why you can’t see a photo, consider that he
or she has something to hide.
6. Use The Phone, a few times! A telephone call can reveal much about a person’s communication and social skills.
One call may not reveal a troublesome quick, but 2 or 3
or 4 calls is likely to do so. Think twice if the peson
refuses to speak to you on the phone after establishing
ongoing, online close communication or fails to provide
direct answers to direct questions. No harm, no foul if
you have only communicated online, but you may not want
to take that next step. Consider your security and do not reveal your phone number to a stranger.
Use a cell phone if you can or ask the local telephone
company to block you outbound caller ID to prevent your phone number from appearing on
the opposite caller ID. This is a good idea anyway these
days. Give out your phone number ONLY when you feel completely comfortable.
7. Meet Only When You Are Ready. The beauty of meeting someone online is that you can collect information gradually, later choosing whether to pursue the relationship in the offline world. You
are never obligated to meet anyone, regardless of your level
or duration of your online or telephone communication. And even if you decide to arrange a meeting, you always have the right to change your mind. It’s possible that your decision to keep the relationship anonymous is based on a hunch that you can’t logically explain.
Does the person appear significantly different in person
from his or her online persona. By "appear" we mean
physically or personality wise. Trust yourself. Go with your instincts.
This person may have been taking great pains to mask his
or her true personality.
8. Meet Only in Public Places. When you choose to
meet offline, always meet in a public place. Tell
friends where you are going and when you will return.
Better yet, take a friend with you. If you get bad
vibrations from the person, you and your friend can take
your leave. Any online contact who has a problem with
that probably has problems, period. If you cannot
arrange a go-to-meeting companion, make sure that you
leave your date's name and telephone number with a
friend. Never arrange for your date to pick you up at
home. Provide your own transportation, meet in a public
place at a time with many people around, such as a
familiar restaurant or coffee house, and when the date
is over, leave on your own as well.
9. Pay Attention to Displays of Anger, intense frustration or attempts to pressure or control you. Acting in a passive-aggressive manner, making demeaning or disrespectful comments or any physically inappropriate behavior are all red flags. You should be concerned if your date exhibits any of this behavior.
10. Take Extra Precautions Long-Distance. If you plan to fly in from
another city, arrange for your own car and hotel room.
Do not make known the name of your hotel and never allow
your date to make arrangements for you. Get a rental car
at the airport and drive directly to your hotel. Always
call your date from the hotel. You can also check out
the location you both agreed to meet at ahead of time to
see exactly where it is and to get more familiar with an
area . If the location seems inappropriate or unsafe, go
back to your hotel. And carry a cell phone at all times.
Never do anything you feel unsure about in a strange place.
It is
usually assumed that these safety tips are for women
only, and while it is certainly true that men are better
equipped to protect themselves from harm, men should
play it safe as well.
If you any
safety concerns about your date, use your best judgment and get out of there. Never worry or feel embarrassed about your behavior; your safety is much more important than one person’s opinion of you.
While we hear a lot about cheaters, liars and frauds on the internet, do not
forget that bars, taverns, caberets, and clubs are just
generate their own safety concerns.
Playing it safe is smart. Play it smart. A little caution will
go a long way to ensure your safety while you are trying
to find that certain someone of your heart. Good
luck!
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